Automatic machine aligning mechanism



May w? w36,

M. IVI, HART AUTOMATIC MACHINE ALIGNING MECHANSM Filed March 19,v 1934 Inventor A Harney Patented May 19, 1936 UITED STATES PATENT OLFFCE AUTOMATIC MACHINE ALIGNING MECHANISMV Momie ivi. Hart, Buena Park, Calif. Application March 19, 1934;l Serial No'. 716,311

4 Claims.

My invention relates'to box making machines, and more particularly to those of the type used in the produce industry, a main object of my invention being to correct certain deleterious effects caused by the operation of machines heretofore proposed, my invention, of course, being in no way limited to said type of machines.

In the type of box making machines heretofore proposed for theproduce industry serious difiiculty has been encountered in properly centering the box head holding devices or mechanism so that the slats may be accurately positioned on said heads, prior to nailing, it being a common occur-rence that when the box has been completed the slats thereof 'are improperly placed in a slip-shod manner, or certain of said slats, when nailed to said heads overlap the box or are even omitted, resulting in defective boxes. This feature is accentuated by reason of the weight placed upon the heads of the boxes as well as the impact when the slats are nailed thereto. Further, due to wear, caused by the operation of the machines heretofore proposed, certain parts get out of alignment, or even when said machines are placed on the market said parts are already out of alignment, thus causing trouble at the outset, and resulting in imperfect and frequently unusable boxes, thereby also producing unnecessary delays in production. By the use of my invention all these deleterious effects are effectively overcome.

It accordingly is an object of my invention to provide a novel form of mechanism or apparatus for continuously holding in alignment the box head holding disks of a box making machine, whereby the slats of said boxes may be accurately positioned on said heads and nailed irrespective of wear conditions, or inaccurate Workmanship inherent in the machines as they are placed on the market, said machine or apparatus comprising means associated with the slidable or shifting arms of the machine, which arms have mounted thereon the box head holding disks, which means may either be integral with said arms or detachably associated therewith, and may comprise a base member with which is suitably associated an arm, which may have on its end an anti-friction device, such as aisuitable roller adapted to engage and coact with a stationary part of the framework of the machine so that said arms will at all times during the operation of the machine hold said disks and the box heads in direct alignment to the end that an accurate and finished box may at all times be produced.

Theabove and furtherv objects and advantages of my invention, as` willhereinafter more fully appear, I attain by the construction described'in the specification andillustrated on'the drawing forming a part of my application. 5

Reference is had tothe accompanying drawing, in which similar reference charactersdenote similar parts.- In the drawing,

Fig. l is afragmentary; part sectionalI and part lelevational viewof a conventional box mak'- 10 ing machine, box heads illustrated in position prior to nailing slats'thereon, equipped with-my invention,

Fig. 2 is a. cross-sectional view, taken on the une 2 2, Fig. 1, 15

Fig. 3 isanendelevationalviewof Fig. 1, looking ineither direction, since saidfviews are identical, and' Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevationalview of a-modined former my invention. 20

Describing my invention more in detail, ex-

cept'- insofar as said invention enters into` the combination therewith, it forms no part ofthe conventionalY box making machine shown and described'.v Hence, only those parts of saidma- 25 chine or mechanism needed tocoactwith my invention have been illustrated, such illustrations anddescription being" deemed not needed,` especially since myin'ventionis clearly applicable -to othermachines andappar'atus where itis essential-that-accurate centering or' alignmentof the parts are needed.

The -box-making orbox nailing machine, desighated generallybythe reference numeral2, comprises a` suitable frameworks, having' associated therewith the usual stationary shaft 6, mounted in the conventional manner, not shown, since it forms nospartlof myinvention, except as it enters into the combinationtherewith, and mounted upon-said shaft is a set of arms 8 (Figs. 40 2-andv3,-more particularly), each of said arms being provided with strengthening ribs I0 (Fig. 2); and mounted upon the ends of each of said arms are the box head holding disks I2, by the pins lil, whichdisks may be cutout asY at I6 to 45 reduce their weightv to a minimum.

In the conventional machine the disks I2 are provided in pairs, as seen inFg. l, and the 4box heads i8, three in number, that is, the endheads and the center head, are positioned between said 50 disks, prior toV the nailing operation. Said con"- veniionarmachine, also, is providedwith automatic mechanism'forV elevating the heads" l8'b`e'- tweenth'e disks' l2.

This mechanism is partly shown in Fig. 1 and 55 comprises a pair of relatively movable members 20, between which said box heads are positioned, which members, after the completed box has been discharged from the machine, are spaced apart and the new box heads I8 elevated between the disks l2, by a mechanism not shown, and the description or illustration of which is not deemed needed, since it forms no part of my invention.

The disks I2 are also actuated so they will move toward and away from the box heads I8, so that said heads may be positioned therebetween and this is accomplished by means of the disk operating lever mechanisms 22-24-26, associated with the rods 28, bearing collars 38, so said rods will automatically move the disks I2 toward and away from the box heads I8, so said heads may automatically be positioned therebetween. The mechanism thus briefly described forms no part of my invention, and hence further description and illustration are not deemed needed.

To oppose the action of the disk operating lever mechanism just described, the rods 28, on the opposite sides of said disks-opposite to said lever mechanism-are provided with the resilient means 82, in the shape of a coil spring, collars 38 and 3B being provided, so the tension of said springs may be adjusted by the set screw 38, so the disks I2, when the box heads I8 are positioned therebetween will be held firmly in position so the slats 40 may be nailed thereto, which in the present instance may be automatically by mechanism, not shown, since it forms no part of my invention. It was thought in practice that by adjusting the collars 34 along the rods 28 it would be possible to nail the slats properly to the heads I8, but practice has determined that such is impossible, and hence my invention, which has so far not yet been described.

' As seen in Fig. 2, the slat carrier 42 is positioned between the box heads I8 and disks I2, which slats are housed in a hopper 44, said automatic mechanism (not shown) causes the carrier 42 automatically to place the slats 48 over the heads I8 so said slats may be nailed thereto. Said mechanism also, forms no part of my invention.

It will be obvious that if the slats 40 are not positioned properly over the heads I8, imperfect boxes will result. That is, the slats at each end of the box heads I8 may overlap said ends, if said heads are not always in direct alignment, and as the machine continues to be operated, the misplacing of the slats 48 is accentuated, necessitating the shutting down of the machine, until the disks l2 (and heads I8) are placed in proper alignment. My invention resides in the means for placing said disks and heads in alignment, and insuring that they are continuously kept so.

Fig. 3 illustrates part of the mechanism for turning the disks I2 so the box heads I8 may be turned to the left, in said figure so that said heads may be automatically turned to present the straight edge of said heads at the top, so the slats 48 may be nailed thereto, the nailing mechanism, also, not being shown, since it forms no part of my invention.

Each end of the framework 4 has an upstanding part 46, riveted to a base 48, which part is provided with a cam recess 50, adapted to receive successively the rollers 52 on the disks I2, said rollers, prior to entering said cam recess being guided thereto by means of the fingers 54 and 58, the latter1 forming part of the spring pressed latch 58, pivoted as at 60 and held to the part 46 by means of the spring 62.

As the disks I2 rotated (in timed relation by the machine) the rollers 52 enter between the iingers 54 and 56 and these are guided into the cam recesses 50 (at each end of the machine) which causes said disks, and the heads I8 to be rotated as previously described so that the next succeeding edge of the box heads may have the slats 48 nailed thereto in sequence. Said structure, also, forms no part of my invention, and hence further illustration and description are not deemed needed.

My invention will now be described. As previously explained, it is vital to the successful operation of the machine, so that perfect boxes will be formed, that the heads I8 of the boxes will at all times of operation be held in direct alignment, and that, irrespective of wear conditions of the machine. To this end it is necessary that the disks I2 be at all times held in such alignment, so that the slats 4I) shall be properly nailed to said box heads.

As will be seen in Figs. l and 2, the framework 4 of the machine is provided with a ledge 64, and I make use of said ledge in carrying out my invention.

Each of the arms 8 is provided with an arm or extension G6, either integral with said arm or detachable therefrom, as in practice preferred, and said arm may be provided with a bent portion 68, which bent portion may be perforated to receive the bearing pin and nut assembly 10, for the rollers or other anti-friction devices 12, which rollers or devices are adapted to engage and coact with the ledge 64 so that the disks I2 and box heads I8 are continuously held in alignment.

As the arms S are slid on the shaft 6, the rollers 'I2 are in engagement with the ledge 64, the weight and impact of the nailing operation being communicated to the rollers and ledge through the disks I2 and arms 8, thus preventing said disks (and box heads) from getting out of alignment, and even if the active parts of the machine become worn, said alignment is still maintained, since the arms 66 and rollers 'I2 coact with the ledge 64 to maintain such alignment. And this is true even when the arms 8 when the box heads I8 and disks I2 are turned by the mechanism previously explained, the rollers 'I2 engaging the ledge 64 so that said disks I2 are continually kept in said alignment, irrespective of all conditions of operation of the machine or wear of the active parts thereof.

Obviously, the sla-ts 40 will at all times be accurately positioned upon the heads I8 by the slat carrier 42, and the weight and impact induced by the nailing operation will be borne by the rollers 'I2 on. the ledge 64.

In Fig. 4, I have illustrated a slight modication in which my invention may be detachably associated with the arms 8, or said invention applied to other machines where it is vital that certain parts thereof be kept continually in alignment.

In said figure my invention may comprise a base member 74', detachably associated with the arm 8 by means of a dowel pin 'I6' and a bolt 18', or any other preferred means, and associated with said base member in any way in practice preferred, is an arm 88', with which is associated the rollers l2' and the nut and bearing pin assembly 'I0'. Obviously the rollers or anti-friction devices or means 'I2' may be associated with the arms 66 in any manner in practice preferred, 75

province of my instatutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus or devices which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus or devices shown are only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means and Ways.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a box making machine, a plurality of means for holding the heads of a box, means for positioning slats upon the box heads, means for nailing the slats to the box heads, and means for maintaining the box heads in alignment during the nailing process, such means comprising an arm rigidly secured to each of the said box holding means, a trackway extending longitudinally of the machine, and anti-friction members attached to each of the said arms and adapted to contact the trackway, whereby each of the said box holding means is held in alignment with the other box holding means.

2. In a box making machine, a plurality of means for holding the heads of a box, means for positioning slats upon the box heads, means for nailing the slats to the box heads, and means for maintaining the box heads in alignment during the nailing process, such means comprising an arm rigidly but removably secured to each of the said box holding means, a trackway extending longitudinally of the machine, and anti-friction members attached to each of the said arms and adapted to contact the trackway, whereby each of the said box holding means is held in alignment with the other box holding means.

3. In a box making machine, a plurality of means for holding the heads of a box, means for positioning slats upon the box heads, means for nailing the slats to the box heads, and means for maintaining the said box heads in alignment during the nailing process, such means comprising a stationary shaft, a plurality of arms pivoted upon said shaft and pivotally secured to the said box holding means, a member integral with each of said arms and extending at an angle therefrom, and a trackway extending longitudinally of the machine, the said integral members being adapted to contact the trackway, whereby each of the said box holding means is held in alignment With the other box holding means.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3, in which the integral members are rigidly but removably attached to the arms.

MON'IIE M. HART. 

